Fred Gerlach

Fred Gerlach () var ein amerikansk folkemusikar og instrumentmakar som kanskje er best kjend for innspelinga si av den tradisjonelle balladen «Gallows Pole», som Jimmy Page, nemnde som inspirasjon for Led Zeppelin sin versjon av songen.

 Karriere 
Tidleg i 1950-åra song Gerlach i koret Jewish Young Folksingers, som hadde Robert De Cormier som dirigent. Gerlach var ven av folkemusikarar som Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Woody Guthrie og Pete Seeger. Han var ein av dei fyrste folkemusikarane som tok i bruk tolvstrengsgitar som sitt instrument. Det fyrste albumet han gav ut hadde tittelen Twelve-String Guitar. Den best kjende songen på albumet, «Gallows Pole», inspirerte gitarspelaren i Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, som sa:I first heard it ('Gallows Pole') on an old Folkways LP by Fred Gerlach, a 12-string player who was, I believe, the first white to play the instrument. I used his version as a basis and completely changed the arrangementFred Gerlach, American Music biography"I first heard it ('Gallows Pole') on an old Folkways LP by Fred Gerlach, a 12-string player who was, I believe, the first white to play the instrument. I used his version as a basis and completely changed the arrangement."Gerlach skal ha blitt inspirert til å ta i bruk gitaren av mentoren sin Lead Belly, ein bluesgitarist som var kjend for å bruka dette instrumentet. Då Gerlach blei interessert i instrumentet var det så godt som ukjent. Han fortalde seinare:I went into one of the largest musical instrument stores in the country, and the manager assured me that no such instrument existed. On another occasion a maker of fine 12-string lutes (nylon strings) pictured for me a nightmare of explosive force required to hold twelve steel strings in proper tension. He envisioned bits of guitar and guitarist flying asunder. I have combed New York City pawnshops and music stores and have received a variety of comments ranging' from 'Sorry, we're out of them now. Won't a six-string guitar do? to 'Have you got rocks in your head, buddy?' In fact, it took me about a year after I had first decided to play a twelve-string before I found one. It wasn't a concentrated search, but it nevertheless indicates the general unavailability of the instrument.Fred Gerlach, American Music biography"I first heard it ('Gallows Pole') on an old Folkways LP by Fred Gerlach, a 12-string player who was, I believe, the first white to play the instrument. I used his version as a basis and completely changed the arrangement."På grunn av vanskane med å finna tolvstrengsgitarar byrja Gerlach å laga sine eigne, både for eigen bruk og for andre. Pete Seeger, Leo Kottke, Dick Rosmini og andre kjende folkemusikarar brukte instrumentar hans.Folksinger Fred Gerlach – Venice – circa 1969Fred’s reputation as a guitar maker was well known. He made 12 string guitars for Pete Seeger, Leo Kottke, Dick Rosmini and others. Once when he was in San Diego He walked into a Music Store and saw a guitar he had made on the wall with a $10,000 price. When he asked why it was so expensive, the owner said “This is an original Gerlach! He’s dead.” Fred said “Oh!” and left.

 Diskografi 

 Album 

 Twelve-String Guitar (1962)Fred Gerlach – Twelve-String Guitar
 Songs My Mother Never Sang (1968)Fred Gerlach – Songs My Mother Never Sang
 Easy RiderFred Gerlach, American Music biography"I first heard it ('Gallows Pole') on an old Folkways LP by Fred Gerlach, a 12-string player who was, I believe, the first white to play the instrument. I used his version as a basis and completely changed the arrangement."

 Samlealbum 

 The Twelve-String Story Vol. 1 (1963)Various – The Twelve String Story, Volume 1
 The Twelve-String Story Vol. 2 (1963)
 The Guitar Greats
 Golden Guitars
 Takoma Eclectic Sampler Vol 2 (1999)Takoma Eclectic Sampler, Vol. 2
 Imaginational Anthem Vol. 2

 Kjelder 

Denne artikkelen bygger på «Fred Gerlach» frå ,  den 4. oktober 2021.  


Kategori:Jødisk-amerikanske musikarar
Kategori:Askenasar
Kategori:USA-amerikanske visesongarar
Kategori:USA-amerikanske folkegitaristar